More than half of consumers say they prefer to shop online rather than in-store this year, as Covid-19 restrictions continue. The percentage of turnover generated by online sales for Irish shops was just 10.9pc in January, as many Irish retailers continue to struggle to generate an online presence. In January this year, 49pc said they have mostly purchased from Irish SMEs since the Covid crisis, compared to 53pc in 2020. Consumers said they view international retailers as more competitive on price, range and online experience, but they view Irish businesses as more reliable and trustworthy, the report found. The number of SMEs that have invested in their online presence has increased to 55pc from just 21pc last year.

Source: Irish Independent March 11, 2021 02:26 UTC